The Grapevine - January 2023

RANDALL HOUSE

Wendy

Elliott

Randall House, which serves as Wolfville’s community museum, is in trouble. Built in 1786, the two-and-one-half storey, wooden Georgian style farmhouse, located adjacent to Willow Park, has serious structural issues. The fabric of the exterior, the chimneys, the roof, gutters, windows and trim all need replacement or repair. The Wolfville Historical Society (WHS) had put aside funds to do the roof work, but a heritage construction consultant sent up an overall warning flag last month.

The second oldest house in Wolfville is situated on a hill overlooking what used to be a bustling harbour, and to the west of what was once Mud Creek. Charles Randall purchased the house in 1812 and it stayed in his family for 115 years.

Retired farmer Charles Patriquin bought the property in 1927. He had a robust vegetable garden that became a local attraction and maintained a duck pond where local children spent many happy hours. In 1947, he sold the house to the Wolfville Historical Society, and it became a museum. In 1987 the house won status as a Nova Scotia Provincial Heritage Property.

In its current role, Randall House chronicles the every-day lives of people living in the Wolfville area at different historical periods and from all classes of society. Original interior elements, such as a bake oven, flooring and seven fireplaces, are still intact. The town offers annual financial support.

For over 70 years, citizens have donated their time and money for the museum’s preservation. Many have contributed furnishings and items to its diverse exhibits. In 2021, the WHS carried out a positive community and membership survey around Randall House. But COVID-19 has had a negative effect both on membership and fundraising. Community gatherings and social events were hosted each summer prior to the pandemic, for example, but now future planning looks bleak.

Katherine Ryan, who leads the Randall House Museum management committee, has researched the situation and states, “If we are to call ourselves a museum, we have an ethical duty to conserve our collection. Any item that we have accepted, including the museum, wasgiven to us in a trust arrangement with the understanding that it is a valuable part of our town’s history and that its condition needs to be preserved to the best of our ability.”

Randall House needs an immediate influx of energy or finances or both. The situation is challenging and WHS president Martin Hallett would appreciate some input from the wider community.

His email is: kaiserhallett@yahoo.ca or call 902-256-2016. ❧

Randall House p.3

Mike Uncorked/New Year Eco-lutions p.4

Free Will Astrology / Star Drop p.5

Christmas Dinner Thank You / Classifieds p.6

Who’s Who / Tides / Puzzles p.7

Love Stories/Featured Artist p.9

Wolfville Page p.10

Books By Locals / I Know a Place p.11 Margot’s Hidden Gems p.11

What’s Happening p.12-13 Libraries p.14

MIKE UNCORKED

A NEW YEAR WITH NEW SHOWS IN THE VALLEY!

Mike Butler

Mamma Mia with Quick as a Wink Theatre

Gimme Gimme Gimme your attention! The hit musical Mamma Mia is coming to the Valley through Quick as a Wink Theatre Society and it’s going to be out of this world! Are you Dancing Queens ready to have an Abba-licious time? Well, with a cast of three dozen local actors, great music, incredible costumes and the fun and energy of 70’s Disco, this show is bound to start your new year off on a high note. The team that brought you Grease and Shrek; Mike Butler the director, Mike Nelson the music director and producers Dave and Jeannie Myles, Mamma Mia will have you dancing in the aisles and laughing long after the curtains close.

The premise is much like those Greek comedic tragedies of old; Sophie Sheridan is getting married and, although her mother Donna has raised her since birth, Sophie longs to meet her father. She invites not one, but three of the men of her mother’s past; Sam, Bill & Harry who think they’re on a Greek vacation but instead it becomes a quest for paternity in this very funny musical set to the tunes of Abba including Under Attack, Take a Chance on Me, Honey, Honey and so many more! Put on your platform shows, don some glitter, and bell bottoms and come to Windsor to meet your Waterloo.

DANIELLE WISEN Co-Owner and Operator

ALLY MANNETTE Co-Owner and Operator

CONTRIBUTORS: Mike Butler, Wendy Elliott, Ron Lightburn, Margot Bishop, Krista McDonald, Rachael Butcher

DELIVERIES: Andrea Leeson, Fred Phillips/Sarah Roberts, Sam Rhude, Conrad Schofield, Margot Bishop, Karen & Earle Illsley, Lorna Williamson

AD DEADLINES:

FEBRUARY ISSUE: Mon. Jan 23, 2022

MARCH ISSUE: Mon. Feb 20 2022

You don’t want to miss this show!

Showtimes are January 27th, 28th, February 3rd and 4th at 7 pm with Matinees January 28, 29 & February 4th at 2pm. Performances are at the Kings-Edgehill Performing Arts Center, Windsor and tickets can be purchased through www.qaaw.ca . Tickets are selling fast for this show!

Jonas & Barry take CentreStage Theatre

Norm Foster’s quick wit is strong in this lighthearted buddy comedy about living life to its fullest.

Barry is annoyed that he’s already living in a seniors’ home at sixty-seven, but it’s worth it to live near his daughter, Rosie.

Rosie, who works at the home, brought him in so he wouldn’t be alone in case he has a heart attack like his father, brother, and uncle did before they were sixty-five.

So, Barry spends his time shuffling around in his slippers, taking naps, and having dinner with Rosie, and that’s good enough for him.

But Barry doesn’t get to revel in the quiet for long. Enter the loquacious and flirtatious Jonas, who wrote one hit song thirty-seven years ago. Jonas likes to indulge in the finer things in life, like decadent dates and nice clothes, and he sees Barry the curmudgeon as a fixer upper. As they bicker and bond over women, sports, and family values, Jonas and Barry must learn to open-up and face how to keep living their lives.

Norm Foster comedies have graced the CentreStage boards before with the hit shows Old Love, The Long Weekend, Here on the Flight Path, The Ladies Foursome and Looking. Audiences have fallen in love with the quick wit, sharp

one-liners, and the underlying

of

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm January 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28, February 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 with Sunday Matinees at 2pm January 22 and February 5th. Tickets are $18.00 for adults and $15.00 for Student & Seniors. It is strongly recommended that you call 902-678-8040 to hold your seats as this is bound to be a sold-out hit, filled with laughter, fun poignancy. ❧

WHERE TO FIND US

WINDSOR: Fry Daddy’s, Gerrish & Gray, Lisa's Cafe, T.A.N. Coffee, Mosaic Market

FALMOUTH: Fruit & Vegetable Company, Petro-Canada

HANTSPORT: Jim's Your Independent Grocer

AVONPORT: Cann’s Kwik-Way

GRAND-PRÉ: Convenience Store, Domaine de Grand Pré, Just Us! Café

GASPEREAU: Gaspereau Vineyards, Reid's Meats & Kwik-Way, XTR Kwik-Way

WOLFVILLE: Carl's Your Independent Grocer, Eos Natural Foods, Just Us! Café, T.A.N. Coffee, Library, Wolfville Farmers' Market

GREENWICH: Avery’s Farm Market, Edible Art Cafe, Elderkin's Farm Market, Hennigar's Farm Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling's

PORT WILLIAMS: Library, Planters Ridge, Post Office, The Noodle Guy

DISCLAIMER

CANNING: ArtCan Gallery, Degraaf's Kwik-Way, ValuFoods

NEW MINAS: Boston Pizza, Captain Sub, Irving Big Stop, Jessy's Pizza, Long and McQuade, Milne Court Petro-Canada, Pita Pit, Swiss Chalet

KENTVILLE: Half Acre Café, Jason’s Your Independent Grocer, Library, Maritime Express, Post Office, T.A.N. Coffee, Valley Regional Hospital

COLDBROOK: Access Nova Scotia, T.A.N. Coffee, Callister's Country Kitchen, Foodland BERWICK: Jonny's Cookhouse, North Mountain Coffeehouse, Rising Sun Natural Foods, Union Street Café, Wilsons Pharmasave

AYLESFORD: Chisholm's PharmaChoice

KINGSTON: French Bakery, Pharmasave, Green Elephant

GREENWOOD: Country Store, Tim Horton’s (Central Ave + Mall), Valley Natural Foods

MIDDLETON: Angie’s, Goucher’s, Wilmot Frenchy’s, Tim Horton’s, Library

The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors, and the publication of these opinions does not signify the endorsement by the staff or owners of The Grapevine Newspaper. Opinions expressed within this publication are not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional or medical advice. While we make every attempt to ensure accuracy with all published content, GV Publishing Inc. assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or truthfulness of submitted copy. In the event of an error, GV Publishing Inc. is only responsible for the price of the individual ad in which the error occurred.

New Year’s resolutions are great in theory, but often fall apart in practice if our goals are unattainable (or have anything to do with eating less carbs). Create a manageable list of actionable items and make sure to record your progress to reinforce the impact you are having.

Changes to habits are better kept when we take a moment to recognize that we are making progress, no matter how small. Here are some Earth Friendly Resolutions:

Research single-use plastic alternatives and find some swaps that fit your lifestyle & your budget

Buy in bulk whenever possible

No more produce bags! There are lots of reusable options but if you do end up with plastic bags, make sure you repurpose them

Bring your own cutlery & reusable travel mug

Keep jars & plastic containers for refilling;

Keep a stash near the door to ensure you have them handy when you head out

Shop local & shop small as often as possible

Meal plan to reduce food waste

Do some thrifting! Fast fashion is awful for the environment, and there is nothing like the thrill of the hunt!

10. Learn to fix or mend your possessions or find others who can - the only way to stop throw away culture is to stop throwing everything away

The new year is a time for reflection and hopeful contemplation of the year ahead. If you have resolved to walk softer on the Earth in 2023 and beyond, there are many easy steps to take.

Your success will mean the world!

sweetness

Norm’s characters and Jonas and Barry in the Home is no exception. Jonas & Barry in the Home is Directed by Junie Hutchinson and Lilly Ashdown and stars Alan Tupper, John Smith, and Emily Burton.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “My life was the best omelet you could make with a chainsaw,” observed flamboyant author Thomas McGuane. That’s a witty way to encapsulate his tumultuous destiny. There have been a few moments in 2022 when you might have been tempted to invoke a similar metaphor about your own evolving story. But the good news is that your most recent chainsawmade omelet is finished and ready to eat. I think you’ll find its taste is savory. And I believe it will nourish you for a long time. (Soon it will be time to start your next omelet, maybe without using the chainsaw this time!)

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): After meticulous research of 2023’s astrological omens, I have come to a radical conclusion: You should tell the people who care for you that you’d like to be called by new pet names. I think you need to intensify their ability and willingness to view you as a sublime creature worthy of adoration. I don’t necessarily recommend you use old standbys like “cutie,” “honey,” “darling,” or “angel.” I’m more in favor of unique and charismatic versions, something like “Jubilee” or “Zestie” or “Fantasmo” or “Yowie-Wowie.” Have fun coming up with pet names that you are very fond of. The more, the better.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If I could choose some fun and useful projects for you to master in 2023, they would include the following: 1. Be in constant competition with yourself to outdo past accomplishments. But at the same time, be extra compassionate toward yourself. 2. Borrow and steal other people’s good ideas and use them with even better results than they would use them. 3. Acquire an emerald or two, or wear jewelry that features emeralds. 4. Increase your awareness of and appreciation for birds. 5. Don’t be attracted to folks who aren’t good for you just because they are unusual or interesting. 6. Upgrade your flirting so it’s even more nuanced and amusing, while at the same time you make sure it never violates anyone’s boundaries.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When she was young, Carolyn Forché was a conventional poet focused on family and childhood. But she transformed. Relocating to El Salvador during its civil war, she began to write about political trauma. Next, she lived in Lebanon during its civil war. She witnessed firsthand the tribulations of military violence and the imprisonment of activists. Her creative work increasingly illuminated questions of social justice. At age 72, she is now a renowned human rights advocate. In bringing her to your attention, I don’t mean to suggest that you engage in an equally dramatic self-reinvention. But in 2023, I do recommend drawing on her as an inspirational role model. You will have great potential to discover deeper aspects of your life’s purpose—and enhance your understanding of how to offer your best gifts.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Are the characters in Carlos Castañeda’s books on shamanism fictional or real? It doesn’t matter to me. I love the wisdom of his alleged teacher, Don Juan Matus. He said, “Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question. Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use.” Don Juan’s advice is perfect for you in the coming nine months, Leo. I hope you will tape a copy of his words on your bathroom mirror and read it at least once a week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Teacher and author Byron Katie claims, “The voice within is what I’m married to. My lover is the place inside me where an honest yes and no come from.” I happen to know that she has also been married for many years to a writer named Stephen Mitchell. So she has no problem being wed to both Mitchell and her inner voice. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to propose marriage to your own inner voice. The coming year will be a fabulous time to deepen your relationship with this crucial source of useful and sacred revelation

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche offered advice that is perfect for you in 2023. It’s strenuous. It’s demanding and daunting. If you take it to heart, you will have to perform little miracles you may not yet have the confidence to try. But I have faith in you, Libra. That’s why I don’t hesitate to provide you with Nietzsche’s rant: “No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life. There may be countless trails and bridges and demigods who would gladly carry you across; but only at the price of pawning and forgoing yourself. There is one path in the world that none can walk but you. Where does it lead? Don’t ask, walk!”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): How might you transform the effects of the limitations you’ve been dealing with? What could you do to make it work in your favor as 2023 unfolds? I encourage you to think about these question with daring and audacity. The more moxie you summon, the greater your luck will be in making the magic happen. Here’s another riddle to wrestle with: What surrender or sacrifice could you initiate that might lead in unforeseen ways to a plucky breakthrough?

I have a sense that’s what will transpire as you weave your way through the coming months in quest of surprising opportunities.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian singer Tina Turner confided, “My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself.” I hope you will experiment with that formula in 2023. I believe the coming months will potentially be a time when you will be happier with yourself than you have ever been before—more at peace with your unique destiny, more accepting of your unripe qualities, more in love with your depths, and more committed to treating yourself with utmost care and respect. Therefore, if Tina Turner is accurate, 2023 will also be a year when your beauty will be ascendant.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I’m homesick all the time,” writes author Sarah Addison Allen. “I just don’t know where home is. There’s this promise of happiness out there. I know it. I even feel it sometimes. But it’s like chasing the moon. Just when I think I have it, it disappears into the horizon.” If you have ever felt pangs like hers, Capricorn, I predict they will fade in 2023. That’s because I expect you will clearly identify the feeling of home you want—and thereby make it possible to find and create the place, the land, and the community where you will experience a resounding peace and stability.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Storyteller Michael Meade tells us, “The ship is always off course. Anybody who sails knows that. Sailing is being off-course and correcting. That gives a sense of what life is about.” I interpret Meade’s words to mean that we are never in a perfect groove heading directly towards our goal. We are constantly deviating from the path we might wish we could follow with unfailing accuracy. That’s not a bug in the system; it’s a feature. And as long as we obsess on the idea that we’re not where we should be, we are distracted from doing our real work. And the real work? The ceaseless corrections. I hope you will regard what I’m saying here as one of your core meditations in 2023, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A Chinese proverb tells us, “Great souls have wills. Feeble souls have wishes.” I guess that’s true in an abstract way. But in practical terms, most of us are a mix of both great and feeble. We have a modicum of willpower and a bundle of wishes. In 2023, though, you Pisceans could make dramatic moves to strengthen your willpower as you shed wimpy wishes. In my psychic vision of your destiny, I see you feeding metaphorical iron supplements to your resolve and determination.

Homework: Visualize in intricate detail a breakthrough you would like to experience by July 2023.

© 2023 Rob Brezsny • freewillastrology.com • Horoscopes for the week of January 5th

107 MEALS SERVED AT WOLFVILLE CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY DINNER

Margot Bishop

Thank you to everyone who made the resurrected Wolfville Holiday Dinner a success this Christmas.

When the dinner was changed to a takeaway in 2020 due to Coivd and then cancelled, we thought that the tradition started by Anna Anderson and George Pickford over 12 years ago would reach its demise.

However, thanks to an outpouring of support from our volunteers, we did it again as a takeaway. The Rotary Club provided funding, and Carl Jr. from Carl’s Independent provided turkeys. Jeff’s Longspell Point Farm at Kingsport donated over 200 lbs of vegetables. Onions from Nova Agri, pears from Noggins, apples from Stirlings. The Lion’s club allowed us to use their hall and equipment. Rev. Ruth opened her church for fellowship on Christmas Day so that people alone could go and be with others. Volunteers stayed late on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to ensure everything was washed, cleaned, and put away.

Krystal handled all the emails and online orders, ran around picking up supplies, and organized the volunteers who prepared all the vegetables. One hundred seven meals were either picked up or delivered.

This section works on a first-come, first-served basis. Email your classified to: sales@grapevinepublishing.ca and, if there's room, we'll get you in. Please keep listings to 35 words or less.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS:

Boogie Woogie Piano Lessons: Learn this wonderfully exciting style of music, along with Latin jazz, rock, popular, and ‘world’ music from an experienced professional. INFO: (902) 385-2375 | rodwsmith@mac.com

Cancer Support Group: For women with and/or recovering from any type of cancer. Meeting the second Thursday of each month. INFO: (902) 690-5956 | michellereid566@yahoo.ca | (902) 678-9100 | patmutch@hotmail.com | (902) 542-1466 | margotwithat@hotmail.com

THRIVE Learning Centre for Mental Wellness and Well-being: A virtual learning centre of free courses, webinars and workshops to learn, gain new skills, and connect with others. Workshops are developed by subject experts and mental health professionals. INFO: novascotia.cmha.ca

Voice & Piano Lessons: With professional music educator, Susan Dworkin (32 years teaching experience). Studio in Wolfville. Private lessons for children and adults of all ages. Beginner to advanced. INFO: Susanlisadworkin@gmail.com / 902-300-1001

DONATE/VOLUNTEER:

Used Cell Phones Needed: Gently used, unlocked, cleared of personal information cell phones needed, to be given to people without phones. Drop off: Middleton or Kingston Libraries. Contact us for other drop off locations. Sponsored by Kingston CHB and Stop Trashing It. INFO: info@redbearhealinghome.ca / (902) 448-4744

The Revival Shop: A “pay what you” can thrift shop offering gently used clothing for all located at 6 Willow Street Hantsport in Wellwood Hall. Donations welcome, volunteers welcome. INFO: Open Monday & Saturday 9-12pm, Tuesday & Wednesday 2-4pm, Thursday 6-8pm

PRODUCTS & SERVICES:

Harmonize Your Life in 2023: Year of the Rabbit: Balance the Energy in Your Environment with Feng Shui. Gift certificates available. FREE 15-minute consults. (902) 670-8715 | hello@fengshuibysuzanne.com

Get it Published!: Editing, layout and design of books, covers, posters, brochures, and more. E-books too! Reasonable rates and ultra-reliable service. INFO: david@textanddesign.com / textanddesign.com

Errands by Karen Home Blood Collection: A personalized approach to lending a helping hand. Karen will collect your blood and deliver it to the lab, as well as run your errands and take you shopping or to appointments. Fully certified and bondable. All COVID protocols followed. Please call or email to book an appointment. INFO: (902) 790-2626 / errandsbykaren@hotmail.com

Got Mice?: Do you have a MOUSE problem? Or do you have a HOUSE problem? Got Mice Humane Wildlife Services addresses common and uncommon entry points permanently with guaranteed results. Call for a consultation. INFO: (902) 365-MICE (6423) / GOTMICE.CA

Interior Painting and Cabinets: Women in Rollers is the Valley’s full-service decorating company. We do accurate quotes, show up on time, and perform to perfection. We even leave your home neat and tidy! We have great references! Complimentary design and colour consultations. Call today for your free estimate. INFO: (902) 697-2926

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Enhance your overall wellness and treat root causes of illness with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. Commonly treated conditions include: anxiety, depression, insomnia, digestive problems, menstrual / menopausal symptoms, sciatica and more! 20 years experience. Jane Marshall, D.TCM, DAc. 112 Front St, Wolfville. INFO: (902) 404-3374 | janemarshallacupuncture.ca

Wellness Life Coach: Alexandra Gellman, Ph.D., DHM, RNCP, for homeopathy, integrative medicine, iridology (eye health assessment), and nutrition to boost your health, wellness, and cognitive capabilities naturally. Special prices for students & seniors. INFO: (902) 542-5280 | alex@alexgellman.com

Wood Flooring Restoration and Repair: Make your old wooden floors beautiful again! Sanding, refinishing, repairing, and verathaning of hard and soft wood floors. INFO: (902) 300-5903 | (902) 542-0664 | stevenrhude13@gmail.com

We want to thank everyone who helped make this possible. The true spirit of kindness and generosity was alive and well in Wolfville this year.

WHO’S WHO

DAPHNE GREER: BETWEEN THE PAGES!

Mike Butler

I Love Books! I read many genres, and I especially love supporting local authors. I was very excited when I learned last year that author Daphne Greer is from this area and has a new book released soon called Jacob’s Dilemma. As soon as I heard, I ordered her other efforts and read through those in anticipation of this new release, and then I decided to include Daphne in my Grapevine column, and here we are!

Daphne Greer was born in Victoria, BC. Her dad was in the Navy, so they moved around a fair bit, but Nova Scotia is her home. She states, “In my preteen years, we moved to Belgium. During my second year there, I transferred to a convent run by Ursuline nuns to return to Canada with a little more French than I had learned at the International School of Brussels.” One of my stories, ‘Finding Grace,’ was set in the convent I attended just outside Brussels. Looking back, I learned more about resilience than mastering the French language. I graduated with a Bachelor of Child Studies from MSVU, specializing in Developmental Disabilities. My husband Ken and I have four amazing daughters who are finding their way into the world. We’re also blessed to be grandparents and lucky enough to live close by to our little sweet peas.”

When I saw local, I was not kidding. Daphne lives in Newport Landing and has made that her home and the setting for some of her stories. She commented, “When it came time to send our children to school, we moved back and landed in Newport Landing. We live five minutes from my parents, and our children have had an idyllic upbringing in a beautiful community where they roamed freely and mud sliding was a summer ritual. There is something magical about where we live. Being close to the water has always been important to me. Newport Landing has calm energy, and its peacefulness is felt by all who visit. My story ‘Jacob Landing’ and my latest, ‘Jacob’s Dilemma,’ are both set in Newport Landing.”

And although being a celebrated author is something Daphne is very proud of, her career on and off has involved supporting children and adults with special needs. For the past five years, she worked at Kings Meadow

Residence, supporting nine adults in living their best lives. She retired in June of 2022 to spend more time with her parents. Her writing career evolved organically twenty years ago when she was trying to find a picture book for her cousin’s son, who was having trouble understanding his older brother, who lives with Autism. When she couldn’t find an acceptable one, she decided to write one herself.

She stated, “I enjoyed the process of writing but didn’t think anything more about it once I had finished and sent the story off as a gift.

I was a busy mom, working full time, and then I got pregnant with our fourth daughter and ended up in the hospital on bed rest for several months. One day while in the hospital, I. was watching TV and became memorized by an interview with a young mother who had been born without arms. My jaw dropped when I watched her navigate getting her baby out of the crib and later driving her children in her car. All with her feet. I was so moved I wrote a story called, ‘The best mom ever.’ During my time in the hospital, I wrote about seven picture books. I quickly learned that while I had discovered the joy of writing, I now had to learn how to write and craft a story worth publishing. So, I enrolled in backto-back courses at the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia, and the rest is a nice piece of history.”

Daphne’s book, Maxed Out, became a nominee by the American Library Association for their quick read category and is still finding new

readers to this day. She also wrote Camped Out and Finding Grace

The last two years have been spent keeping her family, workplace, and parents safe and sound while Covid swirled around them. Her writing, however, was put on hold as she needed more energy to give it any attention. Thankfully her manuscript for Jacob’s Dilemma had been sent off and accepted two years ago, and because edits were scheduled in August of 2022, she knew she had a grace period. I am beyond excited to get my hands on this book.

Jacob’s Dilemma is a sequel to Jacob’s Landing but is a stand-alone story. Daphne spilled the beans on the story, stating, “The anticipated middle-grade follow-up to my award-winning Jacob’s Landing finds Jacob trapped in a moral dilemma when his biological mom tracks him down just when he’s about to be adopted. Thirteen-year-old Jacob has settled into life in Newport Landing with his grandparents after the sudden death of his father. His foster mother, Maggie, is getting ready to move to the province and adopt him; he has a close friend, Ruby, who lives nearby; and oh,

yes—he recently found a literal fortune, and he, his family, and the boat museum nearby are set for life. After the local paper publishes an article about his lucky find and generous donation to the museum, Jacob’s life is turned upside down again. His mother, who left him, and his father so long ago Jacob can’t remember her, finds him.”

Jacob’s Dilemma will be available in the Spring of 2023. It can be pre-ordered online through Amazon, and local bookstores should all carry it when it’s in print. Make sure you grab a copy!

Daphne’s website is www.daphnegreer.com, and she can be found on Facebook, Instagram @daphnegreerr and twitter.@daphne_greer.

Thanks to Daphne for taking the time to be the first Who’s Who of 2023. All the best with your endeavours, and thank you for creating such wonderful stories! Take care!

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LOW 5:37pm 6:21pm 7:02pm 7:41pm 8:19pm 8:57pm 9:36pm 10:18pm 11:03pm 11:53pm 12:22pm 1:20pm 2:20pm 3:23pm 4:23pm 5:20pm 6:!4pm 7:06pm 7:55pm 8:44pm 9:32pm 10:20pm 11:10pm 11:38am 12:33pm 1:31pm 2:29pm

VINEYARD ADVENTURES

December

GUIDED TASTINGS

COMMUNITY RINK

BOOKS BY LOCALS

Wendy Elliot

tender

Congratulations to Grand Pre resident Sylvia Hamilton, whose latest poetry collection ‘tender’ was a recommended book by Quill and Quire. Hamilton has shared narratives through art installations, documentary films, essays and more. With ‘tender’, she turns to poetry to explore and chronicle the experiences of Black women.

Hamilton examines Black women, in their quest for self- determination and their desire to live full, complex, unencumbered lives. Employing her skills as a filmmaker, she combines reclaimed historical accounts, such as Judy Hamilton’s from 1833. She uses memories and stories to examine intergenerational trauma, racial violence, the silencing of girls and women, and the loss of children. Her publisher suggests, “Running throughout her work is a yearning for genuine equality and freedom, and an understanding that a better future begins with engaging honestly with our past.”

Hamilton’s last book of poems was entitled, ‘And I Alone Escaped to Tell You.’ It was also published by Gaspereau Press in 2014.

Monoculture

Sue Goyette’s latest book ‘Monoculture’ is uniquely formatted. Her turn at the podium at

the Gaspereau Press Wayzgoose this past fall proved just that as she handed pages out with sections for a collective reading. Monoculture imagines that Nova Scotia’s last surviving stand of intact forest has been preserved for the enjoyment of the public. Coming a year after the volunteers camped out on the logging road in Annapolis County, Goyette’s multidimensional work is uber timely.

Framing the text as visitors’ comments posted on the forest’s official website, the Halifax-based Goyette speaks through a chorus of voices to explore the varied attitudes that permeate our relationship with the natural world - from destructive harvesting practices to our expectations about outdoor recreation and leisure. This unique work takes its cue both from the incessant chatter of social media and from the long slog of a map-less hike, showing how a little scrap of wilderness can still unsettle and disorient us, humble and astonish us, and open its truths to us, says Andrew Steeves. It must be said that the books produced by Steeves and Gary Dunfield of Gaspereau Press in Kentville are works of art in themselves. The paper has substance and the covers heft. They are well designed and artfully printed.

A Sure Cure for Witchcraft

Fiction writer Laura Best was pleased to hear from her publisher recently that her middle-grade novel ‘A Sure Cure for Witchcraft’ had made the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens, fall 2022 list.

Best, who lives in East Dalhousie, created a compelling novel that is bound to capture the imagination of readers from the beginning. In present-day New Germany, five-year-old Lilly begins to tell stories that her mother is convinced come from an overactive imagination. But the child Lilly insists that they are memories from before the life she is living now. The stories stop, but as Lilly grows up, she starts to have vivid dreams set in Württemberg, Germany during the mid-1700s.

Nimbus Publishing has released seven of Best’s novels, starting in 2009.

MARGOT’S HIDDEN GEMS

A New Year and New Beginnings. Many people make new year’s resolutions and fail to keep them, and it is possible that they need to be more realistic.

Do not set yourself up to fail. If you want to make favourable resolutions, ensure they can be kept, and make them simple and specific.

Here are a few of my suggestions:

1. Focus on something other than eating healthier; instead, think about drinking eight glasses of water daily or eating at least three fruits or vegetables daily.

2. Walk one block a day for one week and then walk two the next week!

3. Start your day with a smile, even if it is just for yourself.

4. Wear bright colours; they will always cheer you up.

5. Start taking a new class or starting a hobby! There are many groups to join for all ages, and there are classes for just about everything. Your library is a great place to start! Your town recreation department is an excellent source of information on bike and hiking trails for the outdoor enthusiast. Art and music classes, memory and fitness sessions, all sorts of fun activities are available. Maybe you have always had a (hidden) wish to play a musical instrument.Try out instructions online or join a beginner class. Remember at first if the music is not melodious, it is at the very least Joyful. Check out What’s Happening on pages 12-13 to get started!

6. New is good but remember old traditions. What is old to some may be new to others, and vice versa. Introduce or re-invent a game, pastime or activity to someone or a group that does not know it. Having a tea or hot chocolate party in the backyard. Play twister’, marking the snow with food colouring. Make scented clove balls to hang in the storage closet. Learn or relearn a card game. Look up an old recipe and modernize it.

7. Control things in your life; do not let others dictate your personal ideas or goals. If you want to try something, let your imagination be your guide. Do not try things that could hurt you or others, but be creative and connect with that inner (sometimes hidden) strength.

8. Set aside time for yourself. Do things that give you pleasure.

SUNNY CORNER IN WOLFVILLE

Ron Lightburn’s art cards are now available at locations throughout the Annapolis Valley: Endless Shores Books in Bridgetown; The Rusty Chandelier in Coldbrook; Tides Art Gallery, R.D. Chisholm and the Kings County Museum in Kentville; Absolutely Fabulous at Home, Coles Book Store and Saunders Tartans & Gifts in New Minas; The Port Pub and Sea Level Brewing in Port Williams; Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards in Wolfville. thelightburns.com

Finish that project you started and did not finish, read a book you like the sound of, or just sit and meditate. Your hidden strengths and ideas make you the unique person you are. Do not ‘hide’ yourself, let yourself soar with new and beautiful feelings of self-worth and wonder.

Stay safe and try new things or make old things seem like new again. Have a wonderful New Year!

Unhurried and timeless.

by Ron Lightburn

Margot Bishop

* Shaded events take place weekly or more than once, as noted

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5

Let the Games Begin — Bridgetown & Area Library, Bridgetown 1–3pm • Do you enjoy playing cards or board games? Skip-Bo and Scrabble are popular and we have them here for you to enjoy. If you have a favourite game you’d like to share with others, be sure to bring it along! TIX: Free

Caregiver Support Group — Library, Kingston 2:15–4:15pm • Do you give unpaid care to a parent, spouse, child, friend, or relative due to frailty, advanced age, chronic illness, mental illness, or disability? You Are Not Alone! The NS Caregivers Support Group is facilitated by trained staff members who offer a confidential, friendly atmosphere for you to discuss your experiences. TIX: Free

The Knit-Wits — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3–5pm • Whether you’ve been knitting for decades, or just started yesterday, it’s time to join the knit wits! We have the yarn and needles, we just need someone to use them! Our leader Cheryl will be able to answer any questions you have - or lead the group in a pattern. Have something you have been working on at home? Bring it in! Registration is required. TIX: Free

Trivia Night — Oaken Barrel Pub, Greenwood 7–9pm Season play is done over 8 weeks, teams of 6 encouraged. We count the 6 best scoring weeks towards our grand prizes! Grand prizes change based on the seasons trivia sponsor! We have had prizes like winery tours, brewery swag packs, and more. Each night the winning team receives a $25 gift card to the Oaken Barrel. You can also win flash prizes throughout the evening. •TIX: Free INFO: 902-765-8933 / info@oakenbarrel.ca

Trivia Night — Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Sheffield Mills 6:30–8pm • TIX: Email to book table INFO: 902-542-5544 / sealevelbrewing@gmail.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

Fibre Ops — Library, Windsor 10am–12pm • Calling all knitters, hookers, crocheters, weavers, spinners ... or anyone who enjoys the fibre craft arts. All skill levels are welcome, and no experience is necess Bring your own project and we’ll all work together! ary. TIX: Free

Teen Artist Hub — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3:45–4:45pm • This program is designed for students in grades 7 through 12 who want to explore their passion for art outside of school. Bring something you are working on, or start something fresh with your instructor Elizabeth, who has a diploma in Fine Arts. You can also use this as an opportunity to collaborate with other teens who are interested in art. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 6–9pm • In Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. TIX: $10.95 Adult $6.95 Youth. INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Terry Jagger at Kings Arms Commons Wolfville — Kings Arms Commons, Wolfville 6–10pm • Playing Classic Rock, Rockin’ Blues, as well as some Country and Celtic tunes. TIX: Free INFO: 902-790-3091 / terrywjagger@gmail.com

Man in Plaid — Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Sheffield Mills 7–9pm • TIX: Free INFO: 902-483-9261 / maninplaidmusic@gmail.com

Art Show Opening — Tides Contemporary Art Gallery, Kentville 7–8pm • Join us at Tides for an evening featuring new work from our artists as well as the imaginings of our guest artist Robert Morrison. TIX: Free INFO: 902-365-3322 / tidescontemporaryart@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7

Breakfast — Lions Club, Berwick 8–10am • TIX: $10 each, Children under 12 - $5 INFO: 902-844-1440 / tbhenley60@gmail.com

Farmers’ Market — Farmers Market, Wolfville 8:30am–1pm • Join us Saturday, year-round, to support local farmers, chefs & artisans! Grab a coffee, get some breakfast, do your grocery shopping, buy a gift, and meet with your community - all under one roof! There are three different experiences to enjoy local; our Saturday Market, Farm & Art Market Store (open Tuesday - Sunday), and WFM2Go.ca, our online store and hub pickup service (pick up in the valley, Windsor, or HRM). TIX: Free INFO: 902-697-3344 / lindsay@wolfvillefarmersmarket.ca

Cozy Corner Storytime — Isabel & Roy Jodrey Memorial Library, Hantsport 10–11am • For young’uns aged 2-6 and their caregivers. TIX: FreeBreakfast — Lions Club, Berwick 8–10:30am • TIX: $10 each, Children under 10 - $5 INFO: 902-679-2367 / myrna_harnum@hotmail.com

Improv & Performance Workshop — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 11am–4pm • Join Jeremy Watkins and Friends–the Catch 22 Comedy Crew–for a FREE Two-Day Performing & Improv Workshop that encompasses Improv and its different facets. Ages 16+. TIX: Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Games Day: Board at the Library — Library, Kingston 12–2pm • Bring your favourite board game or tabletop RPG to the Kingston Library, or drop in and play one of ours. TIX: Free

Community Meal — Community Hall, Harbourville 12–7pm • Hot meals served for community members and veterans. TIX: Free INFO: 902-389-1314 / crousematt08@gmail.com

Carter Lake — The Library Pub, Wolfville 2–5pm • Weekly music by Carter. TIX: Free

Weekly Dance — Royal Canadian Legion, Kentville 9–12pm • Jan 7th - 80s and 90s Dance, Jan 14th – Great Big Johnson, Jan 21st - The Last 2, Jan 28th –Route 12 TIX: Members $9, Non-Members $10

SUNDAY, JANUARY 8

Rug Hooking Demonstration — Memorial Library, Wolfville 2–4pm • Drop in to watch local rug hooker Debbie Tucker as she creates her works of textile art. TIX: Free

Tar — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 4pm & 7pm • Having achieved an enviable career few could even dream of, renowned conductor/composer Lydia Tár, the first female principal music director of the Berlin Philharmonic, is at the top of her game. • TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https:// www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

Mini Performance w/ Jeremy Watkins — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 6–7pm • Join workshop participants, along with Jeremy Watkins and Friends the Catch 22 Comedy Crew, as they present a free miniperformance. TIX: Free, Reserve INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10

Community Luncheon — Lions Club, Kingston 12–1pm

• Monthly Community Luncheon with dine-in, take-out or delivery options. TIX: $15 dine-in/Take-out and $16 delivered INFO: 902-765-2128

Writers’ Circle — Isabel & Roy Jodrey Memorial Library, Hantsport 2–3:30pm • Need incentive to finish your novel, your short story, or your poem? Here’s your chance to join others for writing exercises, brain storming, feedback, and encouragement. Everyone welcome to share their work and their constructive criticism in a positive environment. TIX: Free Sing with Valley Voices — United Baptist Church, Kentville 7–9:30pm • New voices are welcome at weekly rehearsals of Valley Voices A Cappella Chorus, an inclusive women’s chorus singing four-part harmony. TIX: Free INFO: director@valleyvoices.org

Friendly Heckler Podcast Live Taping w/ Terra Spencer — The Union Street, Berwick 7pm •Songwriter Terra Spencer is a pandoras box of song, she can bring the audience to tears with a ballad or have them laughing on their heads with a witty upbeat folk song, never mind the fact that she’s one of Nova Scotia’s finest guitar pickers and doesn’t get enough credit for it.

Terra joins host Zakary Miller on stage for Episode 6 of The Friendly Heckler Podcast. A podcast where Zakary gets to ask artists about so much more than their art, and gets to bother the artists to play his favourite songs that they’ve writtenTIX: $15 INFO: 902-538-7787 / thefriendlyheckler@gmail.com.

Cozy Read-Aloud — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 7–8pm • Come to the library for a cozy evening of hot chocolate and stories read aloud. Open to ages 9-12. Registration required. TIX: Free Celebrate Recovery — New Hope Wesleyan Church, Kentville 7–9:30pm • Celebrate Recovery is a faith based 12 Step program & is for everyone who needs help with their hurts, habits & hangups. Are you struggling with broken relationships, stress, anger, fears, resentments, depression, food issues, compulsive/or addictive behaviours? The CR program could help you heal from life’s “baggage” that you’ve been dragging around. Everyone welcome! Please remember to wear a mask to this event & maintain social distancing. TIX: Free INFO: 902-678-2222 / davetheman161@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

Legion Coffee/Tea Social — Community Hall, White Rock 9:30–11:30am • Wolfville Legion invites everyone out to enjoy our weekly coffee and tea Social. TIX: $2 INFO: 902-542-5869 / wolfvillelegion@gmail.com

Kentville Farmers Market — Recreation Centre, Kentville 10am–1pm • The Kentville Farmers Market brings you the best of local farm products, jams, jellies, and baked goods. International vendors bring exotic food and unique skills, and local artisans provide quality crafts. TIX: Free INFO: kentvillefarmersmarket1@gmail.com Storytime! — Memorial Library, Wolfville 10:30–11am • Each week, we will sing songs, share books, and have fun! For ages 3-5 years, accompanied by parent/ caregiver. TIX: Free Together Time Tales — Library, Kentville 11–11:30am • Each week we will sing songs, share books, and more! For preschoolers ages, 2 to 5 accompanied by a parent/ caregiver. Registration is required. TIX: Free Zoom Knit-Along — Virtual, Annapolis Valley 1–2pm • Make yourself a cup of tea and join us for a super fun group knitting session. Open to all ages, registration is required. TIX: Free Xbox Club — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3:30–4:30pm • Drop into the library after school to enjoy some gaming fun. Registration is required. Open to ages 8-14. TIX: Free Sewing Club — C@P Lab, Wolfville 5–7:30pm • We offer space, equipment and instruction. Bring a project to work on. Registration is required. TIX: Free Open Mic — T.A.N. Coffee, Wolfville 6–9pm • Ross Chapman is carrying on the 11-yr tradition of hosting a weekly open mic. TIX: Free INFO: 902-698-1660 / therosschapman@gmail.com

Networking Meeting — Virtual, Annapolis Valley 6:30–8:30pm • At this online women’s networking event, you’ll learn hiring tips from recruitment expert Emily Pilon, founder, and CEO of Hiring Strategies. TIX: Free INFO: programs@vwbn.ca

Eo — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 7–9pm • EO, a grey donkey with melancholic eyes, meets good and bad people on his life’s path, experiences joy and pain, endures the wheel of fortune randomly turn his luck into disaster and his despair into unexpected bliss. But not even for a moment does he lose his innocence. • TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https://www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

Building Welcoming Arts Communities — Virtual 2-3pm • This free online session will give artists, arts managers, and arts organizations some basic tools to be better prepared to welcome newcomers into their organizations, either as participants or audience members.TIX: Free. Register online at www.orchardviewcoaching.com

Breakdance Theatre Program — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 4-5pm • A 9-week after-school course covering the foundations of breakdancing. This is for beginners and no prior experience is necessary. You’ll develop the strength, fitness and body awareness to perform skills safely, and build your own style into moves and combinations taught throughout the course. There will be a show at the end of the session, giving everyone a chance to showcase their skills on stage. Dancers will need a hoodie or a long sleeve shirt and a hat, as well as fitted shoes (sneakers/runners) and long pants. Bring water! Space is limited. Participants should plan to attend all nine classes. TIX: Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca Spoiler Alert — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7–9:30pm • Based on Michael Ausiello’s best-selling memoir “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies,” the film is a heartwarming, funny and life-affirming story of how Michael and Kit’s relationship is transformed and deepened when one of them falls ill. TIX: $10.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca Booksale — County Fair Mall (Former RBC Site), New Minas 9:30–11:30pm • Book Donations for CFUW Book sale can be dropped off from now until March 22 on Wednesdays or Saturdays. Proceeds to local organizations. *Please no textbooks. TIX: Free INFO: 902-681-3906

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

Jigsaw Challenge — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 2–4pm • Team up with fellow jigsawpuzzle enthusiasts for an entertaining group challenge! Registration is required. Ages 18+. TIX: Free

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

Babies and Books — Library, Kingston 10–10:30am • Each week caregivers and their babies are invited to visit us for quiet stories, rhymes, and songs. Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Lunch & Learn Series Presents: The Immune System — Library, Windsor 12–1pm • Brown-bag your lunch and join naturopathic doctor Adrienne Wood to learn about how the immune system works, what can compromise it, and how to heal and support it. Ages 18+. TIX: Free Community Coffee — Memorial Library, Wolfville 1:30–3:30pm • Warm up with coffee, tea, treats, and friends! Every second Friday, no registration is required. TIX: Free

Fridays at the Library — Berwick and District Library, Berwick 2:30–4pm • Looking for some after-school fun? Snacks will be provided. Ages 8 to 14. Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Lego Club — Library, Kingston 3:30–4:30pm • Join us and build something amazing using our gigantic collection of LEGO. Ages 8 to 12. TIX: Free

Teen Takeover — Library, Kingston 6–7:45pm • Teens are taking over the library! Discover a surprise activity, or just hang out with your friends. Ages 13+. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Strange Worlds — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 6–9:30pm • Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original action-packed adventure “Strange World” introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures. TIX: $10.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Feel Good Friday with Guy Paul — Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Sheffield Mills 7–9pm • TIX: Free INFO: 902-542-5544 / sealevelbrewing@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

Overcoming Stagefright Workshop - ages 11-17 — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 9:30am & 1:30pm • This workshop is about performing a solo spoken word piece in front of a live audience. What is spoken word? Think “Adults Read What They Wrote As Kids,” or the Story Moth, or a poetry reading, or a short monologue… performed into a microphone, live. Sounds scary, right? But why should that stop you?! In a safe and positive environment, confront the challenge of public speaking and craft your own five-minute (or less) one-person show. King’s Theatre will host a public spoken word event at 6pm for a live audience with all workshop participants. Participants are encouraged to bring their own monologue selection,d a notebook, water and a snack. This workshop is about performing a solo spoken word piece in front of a live audience. TIX: Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Being on the Same Page: Call for Submissions Deadline — Library, Kingston 10am–2pm • Calling all artists ages 12 to 18! The Kingston Library is seeking submissions from youth artists on the theme: “Being on the Same Page”. Today is the final day to submit artwork. TIX: Free

Spoken Word Mini Performance — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 6–7pm • This workshop is about performing a solo spoken word piece in front of a live audience. TIX: Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

Christine Campbell and Blake Johnston — Dawn Oman Art Gallery, Bridgetown 7–9pm • “Campbell & Johnston’s Black-Market Band” won an award for Best Blues Album at the 2022 ECMA’s. TIX: $25, Advance or at the Door. INFO: 902-588-2002

Music with The Chimney Swifts — Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Hortonville 7:30–9:30pm • TIX: $15 INFO: 902-697-3535 / info@hortonridgemalt.com

Mean Girls the Drag Show — Kings Arms Commons, Wolfville 8pm • TIX: $15 INFO: 905-302-2399 / knawrey@gmail.com We are beyond thrilled to present Mean Girls the drag show, a show filled with pink, cattiness, calculust, and some Queen Bees. Join Your local Drag Queer Queera Bang as they take over Kings Arms Commons. Joined by Top Notch Nova Scotian Royalty Elle Noir, Twig Newton, Anna Mona-Pia, Lucky Charms, Hellebore, and Hannibal Lickeder.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

Crafternoons — Memorial Library, Wolfville 2–3pm • Join us this winter at Crafternoons every other Sunday. Ages 5 to 7! All materials will be provided. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Prima Facie — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 3–6pm • Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister who loves to win. She has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and lighting up the shadows of doubt in any case. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge. Jodie Comer (The Last Duel, Killing Eve, The Last Princess) makes her West End Debut in the UK premiere of Suzie Miller’s award-winning, gripping play PRIMA FACIE which takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game. Justin Martin directs this solo actor tour de force at the intimate Harold Pinter Theatre.

TIX: Adult $15.95, Youth Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

She Said — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 4pm & 7pm• New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor break one of the most important stories in a generation - a story that helped ignite a movement and shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood. • TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/ Credit at the door or online https://www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Storytime — Library, Annapolis Royal 10–11am • Preschool children and their caregivers are invited to our Monday Morning Storytime. We’ll have stories, crafts, sometimes music, and always a good time! Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Ukraine: One Life at a Time (Screening with filmmakers) — ARTSPLACE, Annapolis Royal 7pm • Stricken by the pain of war in her home country, a Ukrainian Canadian filmmaker sought solace by telling the stories of lives it has shattered. Meet families from Kyiv, Mariupol and Bucha, and their accounts of horrors experienced on their journey to safety in Canada. With breathtaking scenic shots from pre-war Ukraine and exclusive footage of war-torn cities and towns, “Ukraine: One Life at a Time” provides a heartwrenching view of the conflict. Making this film was a life-changing experience for filmmaking partners and old friends, Ethan Neville and Olesya Shyvikova. A Ukrainian Canadian filmmaker seeks solace in heartwrenching stories of escape and hope. Meet families leaving the horrors of war in search of safety in Canada.

TIX: Admission by donation (Suggested $10) INFO: 902-532-7069 / admin@arcac.ca

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

Painternoon — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3:30–5pm • Celebrate spring by attending a painting class with instructor Kathy Williams. All supplies will be included. Registration is required. Open to ages 18+. TIX: Free

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

Deck of Cards Crew — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 10:30–11:30am • Registration is required. Open to ages 18+. TIX: Free

Take Out Luncheon — United Baptist Church, Port Williams 11:30am-12:15pm • TIX: $10. INFO: 902-542-3681 / pburden@ns.sympatico.ca

Kids Can Craft — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3–4pm • It’s time to get crafty! Grab your glitter and glue and come have fun! Open to ages 5-8. Registration is required. TIX: Free Geographies of Solitude — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 7–9pm • An immersion into the rich landscapes of Sable Island and the life of Zoe Lucas, a naturalist and environmentalist who has lived over 40 years on this remote strip of sand. TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https://www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

Youth Art Lessons — 7 Arts, Greenwood 7–8pm • Youth Art Lessons, Ages 12 and under, new projects each week, try new tools & techniques. For info and register email. TIX: $25 per class or 4 for $80 INFO: 902-765-7278 / info@7arts.ca

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

Babies and Books — Vaughan Memorial Library, Wolfville 10:30–11am • From January 19 until March 30, join babies 0-2 and their caregivers for stories, songs, rhymes, and baby mayhem! Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Baby Rhyme Time — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 11am–12pm • Welcome your baby to the library. Enjoy songs, rhymes, and stories that will make your baby smile. Open to ages 0-12 months. A caregiver must be present with the child during this program. Registration is required. TIX: Free

The Knit-Wits — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3–5pm • Whether you’ve been knitting for decades, or just started yesterday, it’s time to join the knit wits! We have the yarn and needles, we just need someone to use them! Open to ages 18+. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Open Studio — 7 Arts, Greenwood 7–9pm •YAL, youth art lessons, portraits, drawing, coloured pencil and much more. New creative projects each week. Meet local artists & try new tools and techniques. Ages 12 and under are welcome for these classes. 7Arts is an inclusive, welcoming and accessible space. Everyone is welcome to join our creative community. TIX: Drop-in fee of $10 with your supplies. $25 with 7Arts Supplies INFO: 902-765-7278 / info@7arts.ca

Cardinal Button Painting — Library, Kingston 7–8pm • DIY Winter Cardinal button painting, no experience necessary. Ages 16+. Registration is required. TIX: Free

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Cardinal Button Painting — Bridgetown & Area Library, Bridgetown 10–11am • DIY Winter Cardinal button painting, no experience necessary. Ages 16+. Registration is required. TIX: Free Being on the Same Page: Youth Art Exhibit Opening Night — Library, Kingston 4–6pm • Celebrate the opening of “Being on the Same Page”, a public art exhibit co-organized by the Kingston Library and 7Arts. The exhibit will feature work by local youth artists. TIX: \

Free Feel Good Friday with Frederic Mujica — Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Sheffield Mills 7–9pm • TIX: Free INFO: 902-542-5544 / sealevelbrewing@gmail.com

Much Ado About Nothing — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 7pm • Since the 1930s, the legendary familyrun Hotel Messina has been visited by artists, celebrities and royalty. When the current owner’s daughter falls for a dashing young soldier, the hallways are ringing with the sound of wedding bells Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy of new beginnings, directed by Simon Godwin. • TIX: $16 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https://www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

I Wanna Dance With Somebody — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 7–9pm •A joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, one of the greatest female R&B pop vocalists of all time, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.TIX: $10.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

What is a Library? Artshow Submission Deadline — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 10am–5pm • We’re seeking submissions on the theme “What is a Library?” for a public art show. Drop off your artwork anytime during the library’s open hours. All ages are welcome to participate! TIX: Free

Being on the Same Page: 7Arts Teen Art Workshop — Library, Kingston 11am–1pm • In this two-hour art workshop for teens presented by 7Arts, professional instructors will help you create your works of art inspired by Same Page. No experience is necessary. All materials supplied. Registration is required. TIX: Free Makers Space — 7 Arts, Greenwood 12–4pm • 7Arts Makers Space, creative fun and seasonal crafts for all ages, all supplies included. Register by email. TIX: $5 per project. Take and Make kits for $5. INFO: 902-765-7278 / info@7arts.ca

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22

Lunar New Year Celebration — Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning 1–5pm • Join us for a Community Arts Sunday in celebration of the Lunar New Year! Our day will include hands-on art activities for all ages and food inspired by cultures from across Asia. TIX: Admission is by donation, with a suggestion of $15 per family or $5 per person. INFO: 902-582-3842 / mail@artscentre.ca

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 3–5pm • Everyone’s favourite lecheloving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns. For the first time in more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation presents a new adventure in the Shrek universe as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet. Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Oscar® nominee Salma Hayek). TIX: $10.95 Adult, $6.95 Youth INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

The Banshees of Inisherin — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 4pm & 7pm • Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them. A stunned Padraic, aided by his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. • TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https:// www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24

Beat the Winter Blues and Blahs — Bridgetown & Area Library, Bridgetown 7–8pm • Presented by a Registered Counseling Therapist, this workshop will equip you with ideas and techniques to help you stay healthy during the cold winter months. TIX: Free Cozy Read-Aloud — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 7–8pm • Come to the library for a cozy evening of hot chocolate and stories read aloud. Open to ages 9-12. Registration required. TIX: Free

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

Cardinal Button Painting — Library, Annapolis Royal 11am–12pm • DIY winter Cardinal button painting, no experience necessary. Ages 16+. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Book Club — Library, Kingston 1–2pm • An adult book club, with facilitator Lynn. Pick up a copy of this month’s book at the Kingston Library during open hours.

Registration is required. TIX: Free Senior Safety with the RCMP — Library, Annapolis Royal 2–3pm • Join us at the Annapolis Royal Library for an informative presentation and Q&A session from the RCMP on Fraud and Scam Prevention, Identity Theft Awareness, Helpful Community Resources, Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention. Registration is required.

TIX: Free

Xbox Club — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 3:30–4:30pm • Drop into the library after school to enjoy some gaming fun. Relax, meet new friends, and just have fun. All materials are supplied. Registration is required. Open to ages 8-14. TIX: Free Canadian Federation of University Women — Wu Welcome Centre, Wolfville 6:30–9pm • CFUW is a non-profit, non-partisan, self -funded organization working towards the promotion of public education, the improvement of the status of women and children and the advancement of human rights, justice and peace. Membership is open to all women who support these goals. Our guest speaker for January is Dr. Jennifer Brady, Director of Nutrition and Dietetics, Acadia. Topic: “What’s for dinner?” TIX: Free Banff Film Festival — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 7pm • Hosted by the Trail Shop, the Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition featuring the world’s best footage on mountain subjects.. TIX: $25, In-Store or Online INFO: 902-423-8736 / info@trailshop.com

The Shit Show with Jay Malone — The Union Street, Berwick 8–9:30pm • Award-winning comedian Jay Malone is joined by the Valley’s best up-and-coming comedic/musical talent. TIX: $15 Tickets Available @ http://www.jaymalone.com/unionstreet or etransfer contact@jaymalone.com INFO: 902-844-2875 / contact@jaymalone.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26

Babies and Books — Vaughan Memorial Library, Wolfville 10:30–11am • From January 19 until March 30, join babies 0-2 and their caregivers for stories, songs, rhymes, and baby mayhem! Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Jigsaw Challenge — Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library, Middleton 2–4pm • Team up with fellow jigsawpuzzle enthusiasts for an entertaining group challenge! Try to complete a puzzle together in two hours, and have a ton of fun doing it. Puzzles will be supplied. Registration is required. Ages 18+. TIX: Free

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Winter Arts PD Day Camp — Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning 9am–5pm • Children ages 5-12 will experience a day of multi-age art activities in a studio setting, all while meeting new friends and exploring the beautiful landscape here on the North Mountain. TIX: $75 INFO: 902-582-3842 / mail@artscentre.ca Community Coffee — Memorial Library, Wolfville 1:30–3:30pm • Warm up with coffee, tea, treats, and friends! Every second Friday, no registration is required. TIX: Free

Teen Takeover — Library, Kingston 6–7:45pm • Teens are taking over the library! Discover a surprise activity, or just hang out with your friends. Ages 13+. Registration is required. TIX: Free Girl Power at the Library! — Bridgetown & Area Library, Bridgetown 6–8pm • The last Friday of the month is Girl Power Night at the library! Food, snacks, crafts, talk about books, playing games, hang-out. The library is yours for the night. Ages 10 to 18. Registration required. TIX: Free Jewellery Retreat with I’thandi Munro — Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning 6pm • Bring your ideas to this weekend workshop and leave with one-of-a-kind creations! Ring-making will provide the foundational skills in the world of adornment, transforming materials into precious objects. Get your hands busy learning basic jewellery fabrication and metal casting techniques. Our fantastic faculty member, I’thandi, will guide you through the design process in a collaborative studio environment, introducing you to an assortment of metals and found objects. You’ll learn to use the tools and tricks of the trade including melting and soldering with an acetylene torch, handling a jeweller’s saw, taking accurate measurements with callipers, different hammering techniques, filing, bending, sanding, pickling, polishing, and more! TIX: $287.50-$362.25

INFO: 902-582-3842 / mail@artscentre.ca

Mamma Mia! — King’s-Edgehill School, Windsor 7–9:30pm • A play filled with Abba songs, big laughs, a few tears and Greek drama, and a cast of local actors that will have you singing and dancing in the aisles.

TIX: Online in Advance or At the Door - Fountain Performing Arts Centre INFO: dmyles@qaaw.ca

Feel Good Friday with Inigo Cuartero — Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Sheffield Mills 7–9pm • TIX: Free

INFO: 902-542-5544 / sealevelbrewing@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28

Author Reading: Laura Churchill Duke — Murdoch C. Smith Memorial Library, Port Williams 10:30–11:30am

• From Laura Churchill Duke, award-winning author of ‘Two Crows Sorrow’, comes ‘Rooted in Deception’, another true-crime story in rural Nova Scotia. A con man is on the move in the early 1900s, spinning stories, turning heads, and lifting whatever is not nailed down. He spins tale after tale into a web that entangles credulous Nova Scotians–until he takes one step too far. Secret identities, deception, and greed escalate to murder. Registration is required. TIX: Free Makers Space — 7 Arts, Greenwood 12–4pm • 7Arts Makers Space, creative fun and seasonal crafts for all ages, all supplies included. Register by email. TIX: $5 per project. Take and Make kits for $5. INFO: 902-765-7278 / info@7arts.ca

Paint with Giselle — Lions Club, Wolfville 1–4pm • Come out and discover the artist in you! No experience is required! Giselle will make this project easy as she leads you through step-by-step instructions to paint this beautiful colorful peacock! Tickets are in advance only. Get a group of friends together for a fun afternoon of painting. Door prizes and refreshments are included. Register early!! Thank you for supporting Wolfville and District Lions Club with this fundraiser project. TIX: $45 Individual or $40 Group INFO: 902-542-3805 / shellywsphill@gmail.com

Mamma Mia! — King’s-Edgehill School, Windsor 2pm & 7pm • A play filled with Abba songs, big laughs, a few tears and Greek drama, and a cast of local actors that will have you singing and dancing in the aisles. TIX: Online in Advance or At the Door - Fountain Performing Arts Centre INFO: dmyles@qaaw.ca

Open Mic with Jeff Douglas — Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Hortonville 7:30–9:30pm • TIX: Free INFO: 902-697-3535 / info@hortonridgemalt.com

Tom Regan Memorial Concert — Festival Theatre, Wolfville 7:30–10pm • The annual Tom Regan Memorial Concert presents the best performances from the Acadia School of Music’s students, faculty, alumni, and friends. TIX: $30 (Regular) $15, (Students) Acadia Box Office INFO: 902-542-5500

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

Mid-Winter Musical Afternoon — Lions Club, Berwick 2–4:30pm • Featuring Zakary Miller, Two In The Morning Trio, and The Black Rock Buoys. TIX: $10 Wilsons Pharmasave, Berwick INFO: 902-670-6008 / bkrix@live.com

Sunday Book Club — Library, Windsor 2pm • Please ask library staff for our monthly book selection. Pick up a copy of the book at the library and join the conversation. New members are welcome! Registration is not required. TIX: Free

Crafternoons — Memorial Library, Wolfville 2–3pm • Join us this winter at Crafternoons every other Sunday. Ages 5 to 7! All materials will be provided. Registration is required. TIX: Free

Mamma Mia! — King’s-Edgehill School, Windsor 2pm & 7pm • A play filled with Abba songs, big laughs, a few tears and Greek drama, and a cast of local actors that will have you singing and dancing in the aisles. TIX: Online in Advance or At the Door - Fountain Performing Arts Centre INFO: dmyles@qaaw.ca

The Hours — Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal 3–6pm • Renée Fleming makes her highly anticipated return to the Met in the world-premiere production of Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Kevin Puts’s The Hours, adapted from Michael Cunningham’s acclaimed novel. Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and made a household name by the Oscar-winning 2002 film version starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Nicole Kidman, the powerful story follows three women from different eras who each grapple with their inner demons and their roles in society. The exciting premiere radiates with star power with Kelli O’Hara and Joyce DiDonato joining Renée Fleming as the opera’s trio of heroines. Phelim McDermott directs this compelling drama, with Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct Puts’s poignant and powerful score. TIX: Adult $15.95, Youth Free INFO: 902-532-7704 / boxoffice@kingstheatre.ca

The Son — Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville 4pm & 7pm • TIX: $12 Cash or Debit/Credit at the door OR online https://www.eventbrite.ca/ INFO: manager@alwhittletheatre.ca

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

Book Club — Library, Kentville 6:30–7:30pm • Everyone is welcome. Registration is required. January’s book selection is “When the Stars Go Dark” by Paula McClain. Copies are available at the library. TIX: Free

ART IN THE LIBRARIES

The Annapolis Valley Regional Library offers plenty of options for aspiring and established artists, and art appreciators! Here are some examples of what’s happening in your local branches this month:

BERWICK: Local artist Delaine Carlson’s multimedia works are on display.

KINGSTON: In 2022 eight of Nova Scotia’s public library systems teamed up to offer simplified access to their combined collections. The result is Same Page, a “super library” of nearly a million items available to borrow.

The Kingston Library and 7Arts is asking artists ages 12-18 to imagine what access to Same Page means to them in an art show titled “Being on the Same Page”.

Submissions are due January 14 and will be on public display in February. The opening is on January 20 from 4-6pm at the library.

On January 21 from 11am-1pm, 7Arts is offering a free Same Page art workshop for teens. Registration required.

MIDDLETON: Calling all artists! We are seeking submissions on the theme

“What is a Library? A place? An emotion? An archive? A memory?” Any format that can

be hung on a wall is welcome. Deadline is January 21.

The art will be on public display in February and March.

Teen Artist Hub: Every Friday, 3:45-4:45pm from January to March, youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to come explore their passion for art. Registration required.

Painternoons: 3:30-5pm January 17, February 14, March 14. Ages 18+. Celebrate the colours of spring with instructor Kathy Williams. All materials supplied. Registration required.

WOLFVILLE: On January 8 drop into the library between 2-4pm to watch local textile artist Debbie Tucker demonstrate rug hooking.

You can also give it a try! A collection of locally hooked rugs is on display until February 6.

For more information visit www.valleylibrary. ca or call your local branch.

Edited by Margie E. Burke Copyright